The Year-to-Date Progress Report is Groovy

Welcome, 2016! The new calendar year marks mid way through the Coffee Party USA fiscal year. Now is a great time to check in with members and supporters about progress toward some of our goals.

Membership, Volunteers & Leadership

Ever since our transition to an all volunteer organization in FY 13/14, Coffee Party has been moving toward linking membership, volunteer experience and organizational leadership. The current Bylaws require three months of membership to vote in the annual elections, and six months as an active volunteer and member in order to run for office. The purpose of these requirements is to facilitate a Board of Directors made up of experienced member volunteers, more likely to know what they are getting into, therefore more likely to serve out their full term. Two of the goals intended to support this strategy are listed below.

Double the number of dues paying members in FY15/16

20% accomplished

Grow to 100 active volunteers in FY15/16

61% accomplished

Diversity

Coffee Party is founded on the belief that “civility and reason” knows no political, geographical, gender, or religious bounds, we have set goals to help expand our reach across those arbitrary divides. We see ourselves as a “community of practice” - a place where we can help each each other develop the skill of civility and reason, knowing that with diversity comes the opportunity for disagreement. So, we have included goals to support our growth as a community. Some examples follow.

Expand the diversity of in our posts and broadcasts by expanding the newsroom and radio teams

12 new members to the newsroom team and four shows to the radio team

Find 10 additional original content bloggers and broadcasters

seven new bloggers as of 12/31/15

Expand outreach on FB to 1 million likes (diversity in numbers)

900K as of 1/09/16

Create a “moderating team” to support civility and reason in our posts and comments

Ready to launch in January 2016

We have other goals, of course: some very businessy and some very technical. But, Membership Volunteers & Leadership, and Diversity just seemed like New Year’s thing to share.